Chapter 3
The Drayton Hotel
Back at the hotel Drayton, all the racers were in their rooms.
They were having to share rooms and so some of them were still awake.
In room 18 on the 3rd floor, Peter Perfect, Rufus Ruffcut, Luke and Blubber Bear and the Red Max were still up.
Next door in room 19 were the rest of the male racers and in room 20 Penelope and Julie were sleeping.
Dick was staying in room 18 and Rachel was, obviously, staying in room 20.
The occupants of room 18 were having a game of cards.
"Where do you think Dastardly is at this hour?" asked Peter placing a card down.
Rufus shrugged and placed one of his cards down.
"He is probably out plotting and scheming," exclaimed the Red Max slamming a card down on top of the others, "Erm… SNAP!"
"Curses! Beat me again!" exclaimed Peter throwing his cards down and walking towards the window in a huff.
"Bad loser, eh Pete?" laughed Rufus, "GYAHAHA!"
Suddenly, there was a roaring sound outside the hotel.
Peter stared into the darkness and saw Dick’s car approach the car park.
In the girls room, Penelope and Julie were woken up by the sound.
"What in the world is that?" asked Julie.
Penelope ran to the window.
"It’s Dastardly’s car," she exclaimed.
Julie raised an eyebrow.
"Hey Pete! Is that Dastardly back?" called Rufus.
"Why yes, yes it is!" exclaimed Peter leaning forwards to get a better look.
Dick exited the car, followed by Rachel.
"MY WORD!" cried Peter leaning further forwards out the window, "I do believe that that is Rachel with him!"
The Red Max raised his head and frowned.
"What in the world were they doing out at this hour?"
"Who knows", said Luke finally speaking, "Probably out doing something evil, like sabotaging the race path for tomorrows race!"
"Oh no, exclaimed the Red Max shaking his head, "I don’t think Rachel would do such a thing."
Luke shrugged and went back to smoking his pipe.
"OH MY!" exclaimed Penny, "Your daughter is with him!"
Julie sat up with an even more puzzled look on her face.
"Oh yeah? What were THOSE TWO up to?"
Suddenly, there came a thud from the room next door.
The thud was actually Ryan throwing one of the Slag Brothers’ Clubs at the wall to try and quieten the two sides.
"SORRY!", called Penny, who then resumed gawking out the window.
On the street, Dick and Rachel had grabbed their stuff from inside the car.
Dick locked the doors for the night and stood there smiling.
"So, planning any more evil schemes for tomorrows race?" asked Rachel smiling sarcastically.
Dastardly shook his head.
"Nope, thanks to you, I have seen the light and I will not cheat."
Rachel grinned happily.
"Good!"
"Oh, yes… Thank you for being a friend", said Dick tugging at his hat nervously, "I don’t usually have many friends… so, yes, Thank you!"
Then, to everyone’s surprise, he hugged her.
Peter, who was still leaning out the window, suddenly jerked forwards in shock.
"YEEARGH!" he shouted toppling forwards, "HEELP!"
Rufus bombed towards the window, followed by the Red Max and Luke, and grabbed Peter by his ankles.
"HEEEELP MEEE!" he shouted flailing his arms wildly as he swung back and fourth.
Suddenly, a boot came out of room 19’s window and hit him on the head.
It was Ryan again, trying to quieten everybody.
Penelope gasped at what she was seeing.
"HE-HE-HE’S TOUCHING YOUR DAUGHTER!"
Julie laughed and then realised what she was saying and bombed towards the window.
Suddenly, Peter came flying out the window and was caught by Rufus.
Penelope shrieked as she saw him dangling helplessly out the window.
Then, out flew a boot and hit him on the head.
Dick heard the commotion and quickly looked up at the audience.
Rachel gasped when she saw everyone looking.
Dick released his grip and stood there stunned.
He then started to laugh when he saw Peter dangling precariously out the window, as limp as a rag doll.
The Red Max heard him laughing and scowled evilly at him.
"Shut your mouth, cheater!"
He then saw Rachel looking upwards and waved.
"Hi Max," she called waving back.
The Red Max turned bright red and grinned.
Rufus hauled Peter safely back in the room and wiped the sweat from his brow.
The Red Max was still staring down at Rachel with a big besotted grin across his mush.
Luke walked forwards and waved his hand in front of Max’s face.
"He’s out for the count," he sniggered turning to face Rufus and Peter, who were, incidentally, sitting on the floor recovering.
Peter shook his head to try and get to grips with everything again and looked at Max.
He walked over to him and poked him in the ribs.
Max snapped out of it and leapt in the air shouting in pain.
"YYYEEEOW!"
There came another thud on the wall, but it was followed by a frazzing sound and part of the wall disappeared.
This time, Ryan threw Professor Pat Pending’s ‘Instant-Tunnel-Maker’ at the wall.
Down on the ground, Dick and Rachel started walking towards the Hotel.
"Come on!" exclaimed Dick, "I’ll race you!"
Rachel smiled and agreed.
"It’s a walking race," explained Dick, "First one to their room by just walking wins! And remember! No Running!"
"OK", said Rachel, "3, 2, 1, GO!"
They started scurrying across the road, but Dick started running.
"HEY!" shouted Rachel, "CHEAT!"
Dick chuckled and stopped still on the path.
Rachel leapt at him and started to pretend to punch him on the shoulders.
Dastardly grabbed her in a playful arm lock and so they started walking into the hotel’s main entrance.
They climbed the stairs and got to their rooms, still playfully fighting and laughing loudly.
Suddenly, room 19’s door flew open and one of Ryan’s trainers flew out at them.
They stopped, almost literally, dead in their tracks.
Dick blinked and picked them up rather reluctantly.
Tossing them back into room 19, he turned back to face Rachel.
"Well, see you tomorrow," he smiled.
"Yes! I can’t wait," grinned Rachel clasping her hands together with joy, "To actually race against the new and improved Non-Cheating Dick Dastardly is going to be great!"
Dastardly smiled at her.
She shuffled around uncomfortably, clutching her coat and hat.
Her coat was really heavy and wasn’t the easiest thing to carry around for a long time.
"You never know", smiled Dick, "I may even join forces with you if you’re lucky."
"Well, aren’t I privileged," she smirked sarcastically, "You're on!"
They both nodded.
Dick raised his hand to shake her hand, but she was having a job with her coat and it took a while before she could shake his hand in return.
In amongst all the shuffling of her coat, she didn’t realise that she had dropped her hat.
"OK, well, see you tomorrow… RICHARD," giggled Rachel.
Dick winced and cringed at the mention of his full name.
"UGH! Yes, see you then," he muttered.
Rachel walked off and shut herself in her room.
Dastardly was just about to go to his room, when he noticed Rachel’s hat on the floor.
He picked it up and looked at it.
It was a light blue denim hat, very similar to his.
He thought that he had better hold onto it and hand it back to her at the race the following day.
Smiling, he walked to room 18’s door and opened it.
He entered, slamming the door behind him.
"And where have you been?" asked the Red Max, who was sitting on the edge of his bed frowning.
"Can it, Max," barked Dick heading for his bed.
"Yes, Dastardly… Where HAVE you been… and with Rachel too," said Peter piping up.
"Will all you morons just butt-out, it is none of your business," shouted Dick, dumping his stuff on his bed and ferociously pointing at everyone. "Even if it was your business, I wouldn’t tell you!"
Rufus, who was sat on the floor leaning against the wall, glared in shock at how vicious he was being.
"Hey Dastardly, just calm down."
"NO!" he roared in reply, "I do not WANT to calm down! If you guys just minded your own business, then maybe I wouldn’t react like this!"
"I doubt it," muttered Luke puffing on his pipe.
Peter’s eyes shot open and he clicked his fingers.
"That’s IT," he cried, "I’ve got it!"
Rufus, Max and Luke looked round at Peter, who was actually bouncing up and down on the spot.
"He likes Rachel! HA HA! Dick’s in love!"
Dick was furious at this accusation.
He threw off his shoes, shirt and trousers and dived under his bed sheets, curling up into a foetal ball.
"Noooo! I am not in love, so there," said Dick sarcastically pulling the sheets away from his face for a few seconds.
Peter nudged Luke.
"SEE!"
"OOOOOOH MAAAAN!" moaned Dick hiding under the covers and then popping back out again, "I’m going to sleep noooow!"
There came another thud from room 19 and a frazz.
Ryan had thrown the ‘Instant-Tunnel-Maker’ again and part of the wall disappeared, revealing the Anthill mob lying on their bed with their Asses in the air.
Everyone blinked in puzzlement and the Anthill mob dove under the sheets with embarrassment.
Dick hid back under the sheet and frowned himself to sleep.
The guys got ready for bed and Rufus switched the light off.
Peter chuckled to himself about Dick.
He honestly thought he was in love.
In turn, it made Luke and Rufus start to chuckle.
"SsssSSssHHhhhHH!" shushed Dick, who then when back to snoring.
The next morning, there was a knock on room 18’s door.
Peter shuffled around and fell of his bed.
He was only in his vest and boxer shorts.
Stumbling around holding his head, he opened the door only to find Rachel standing there in her nightdress.
Peter gasped in shock.
"Well, Hello," he smiled, "And what can I do for you?"
Rachel smiled wearily and brushed her hair back.
"Is Dick awake?"
Peter widened his eyes and raised his eyebrows.
"Oh… Well, I don’t know, I haven’t checked," said Peter yawning and scratching his head, "Only just got up myself, my dear."
"Oh, sorry… I didn’t wake you did I?" asked Rachel sheepishly.
"Why, yes, but I don’t mind."
Rachel apologised, but was then interrupted by Max, who shouted to Peter.
"Tell room service to vamoose! Annoying people…"
"Oh! It’s not room service", explained Peter.
Max walked over to Peter.
"Then who is it?" he asked, peering round the corner.
He blinked as he saw Rachel standing there.
"Uhm… Hi," she said waving and blushing at the same time.
He smiled and waved back.
"Right, uhm, well… I’ll, er, fetch Dick for you then," said peter scampering off.
Max stared at Rachel.
"Dick?"
"Er, yes! I just wanted to ask him something that’s all", explained Rachel patting Max on the arm.
The Red Max raised an eye brow and put his hands on his hips.
"I don’t know why you are hanging around with that villain, I really don’t."
"I don’t know, he’s not all that bad," she replied, "Well, he is fine around me… PLUS, he doesn’t cheat anymore. I convinced him it’s the wrong thing to do."
Max shook his head.
"Him? Not cheat? It’s like me becoming president of the USA or something."
Rachel shrugged.
Peter was trying his hardest to wake Dastardly.
He was lying in a star shape, drooling all over his pillow in his boxer shorts and had no sheets covering him.
"Dastardly wake up, someone is here to see you," called Peter shaking his arm.
Luke and Rufus were awake at that point and had sat up to see what everyone was scurrying around at.
Peter shook Dick’s arm again.
Dastardly started to mumble something.
"Oh, DO wake up, Dastardly," called Peter again.
Dick screwed his face up and mumbled again into his pillow.
"Mmnmnnuuuooo No, I love y-yeou."
Everyone blinked.
"O-K… I will pretend I never heard that", exclaimed Peter looking up at the ceiling in puzzlement.
Rufus and Luke started to snigger at what Dick had just mumbled.
Peter tried to shake him again, but Dastardly only rolled violently onto his back and snored violently.
Max was still talking to Rachel.
He liked her and was actually starting to become quite attracted to her.
Of course, he would never actually admit it.
"Diiick", muttered Peter softly in his ear, "Your little fluffy-wuffy Snuggle-Bunny Rachel is here!"
He turned round to face Rufus and Luke and winked in a sly way.
Dick’s eyes shot open.
He sat up violently, knocking the remnants of his cover on the floor.
"WHERE? WHERE?"
Peter, Rufus and Luke stared in shock.
"Er… I mean…", blushed Dick, "What time is it and why did you goons wake me? MORONS!"
"He he, It’s 7:00 AM", chuckled Peter, "And I woke you because Rachel is here to see you about something."
Dastardly shook his head and stood up.
He was unshaven and had scruffy hair.
Scratching at his crotch he yawned and reached for his robe.
"So…" asked Max, "Do you have a boyfriend?"
Rachel shook her head.
Suddenly, Max was vaulted across the room by Dick, who approached the door smiling.
"Well HELLO there," he called beaming at Rachel.
"Hi," she said smiling back.
Peter, Rufus and Luke raised their eyebrows at Dick’s sudden and shocking attitude change.
"So, what did you want to see me about?" asked Dick brushing his hair back.
"Did I leave my hat anywhere around?" she replied, "I just can’t seem to find it anywhere. I either dropped it in the hallway or left it in your car."
"AH YES," he exclaimed, "You dropped it last night when we shook hands. I picked it up and was going to give it you later at the race."
"Ah," said Rachel.
"Here! I have it by my bed," said Dick, gesturing for her to come in.
She entered, met by the sound of shuffling.
The shuffling sound was all the guys in the room covering themselves up with their bed sheets.
Max eyed Dick with a look of suspicion.
He didn’t like his sudden attitude changes, it was all a bit fishy as far as he was concerned.
Dick walked to his bed, Rachel following close behind.
He stopped, adjusted his boxer shorts and pointed to the bedside cabinet.
"YES! MY HAT!" shouted Rachel, delighted that she hadn’t lost it.
Dick reached down and passed it to her.
She took it happily and jumped up and down.
"Thank you," she smiled.
"I can’t wait for the race," said Dick sitting down on the edge of his bed.
There was a pause.
A big deathly silence.
"THE RACE!" cried everyone.
They started to zoom around, grappling with their clothes and tripping over each others shoes and boots.
"I better get ready," said Rachel walking towards the door.
"Yes," replied Dick, "I had better get ready too… Can’t be late."
She exited the room, waving as she went.
Dick slammed the door shut and frowned in a rather ferocious way.
"RIGHT! I don’t want ANY of you using my toothbrush," he roared.
Luke, who was in the bathroom brushing his teeth, turned round.
"What?"
Dick sighed as he saw Luke clasping his toothbrush.
"WHY DO I BOTHER TALKING?"
In room 19, Ryan was busy talking to Prof. Pat Pending.
"Oh yes, I think the idea of 12 gauge shampoo is excellent," smirked Ryan.
Pat tilted his head in puzzlement and scratched his head.
"Hmm, I don’t know about that, sonny", he said, "Might be dangerous!"
Ryan sighed and looked up at the ceiling.
"That’s the blummin’ idea," he moaned walking towards the bathroom.
The Anthill Mob looked at one another.
"We think it’s a good idea!"
Pat sighed rolling his eyes in a rather ‘Un-amused’ kind of way.
Meekly and Sarge were up and ready and were in the Hotel’s lobby.
In room 20, the girls were getting ready.
But, Penny was having a bit of trouble.
"Oh, now where did I put that mascara," she exclaimed leaning over the edge of her bed.
Julie had just taken a shower and her hair was still wet.
"Ah well," she said, "It’ll dry when I’m racing, I suppose."
Penny was still rummaging through the drawers.
"Where could it be," she moaned.
"Looking for this?" asked Rachel holding up a black container.
"Why yes," exclaimed Penny grabbing it off her, "Thank you!"
Rachel smiled and went back to brushing her hair.
"So… OW," said Penny putting her mascara on and stabbing herself in the eye in the process, "What going on between you an’ lil’ ol’ Dick Dastardly, Sugar?"
Rachel raised an eyebrow and turned around.
"W-what do you mean?"
Julie laughed and towelled her hair a bit more.
"In other words, why were you and Dick out so late together last night…"
Rachel turned back round and started applying a bit of eye makeup.
"We went to see Muttley at the hospital, why?"
"Sure looked like more than that," giggled Penny.
"It did?"
"Yes."
"Well, I assure you… it wasn’t," replied Rachel.
"Oh," said Julie, "Is that why he had his hands all over you?"
Rachel turned round in shock, with only half her eye makeup on.
"What do you mean?"
"I saw him hug you," said Julie putting some socks on.
"Yes, that’s true. I admit he did hug me."
"Damn straight," replied Julie reaching for her other sock.
"But," exclaimed Rachel, "BUT! …He only hugged me to thank me for being such a good friend."
Penny giggled again.
"I BET he did," smirked Julie sarcastically.
Rachel gave them both the evil eye and resumed doing her eye makeup.
After everyone had gotten ready, they all met in the lobby.
Dick was sat in a corner on his own, watching all the other racers chat away.
He had a sinister look on his face and had his arms folded.
Rachel was the last one down and joined them after a few minutes of waiting.
Dick saw her walking down the corridor coming towards the lobby and raised his head.
He was just about to go and greet her, when the Red Max got there first.
He grabbed her by the shoulders and gave her a kiss on each cheek.
Dick was stunned and felt rather sad and rejected.
He sat there and watched as she stood there smiling and happily talking.
It was almost as though he didn’t exist.
He sighed and resumed sulking in his chair in the corner, alone.
All the racers started filing out the doors and towards their cars.
Rachel lagged behind and walked towards Dick, who was still slouching on the chair in the corner.
"Aren’t you coming?" she asked tilting her head and smiling.
He peered at her from under his hat and folded his arms tighter.
"Hmmph," he mumbled looking down at the floor.
Rachel raised an eyebrow.
"Er, w-what’s the matter?"
Dick looked away and sighed.
"H-have I done something to offend you? If so, I’m sorry," said Rachel stepping forwards.
"Just… Go and race," he mumbled frowning.
Rachel was stunned.
She didn’t understand why he was treating her the way he was.
It hurt her, a lot and so she ran out the door.
Dick sighed and stood up.
His rage welled up inside of him.
He liked Rachel, she was one of his best friends.
But, she didn’t even notice him until she was going out of the lobby.
Not only that, but Max was trying to butt his way in and Dick viewed it as a threat.
"Lousy Max," he muttered walking out the main door.
He walked to his car and got in.
He sat there for a few minutes and remembered how good she had been to him, him AND Muttley.
He sighed once more, started the engine and drove off.
